MELBOURNE, April 12: Chris Dehring, the World Cup chief executive, has conceded the seven-week tournament is too long but said shortening it would have risked important matches being washed out.

He also argued that ticket prices were not too high for locals and said the small crowds at some venues were caused in part by the live television coverage in the host nations.

Dehring said the next World Cup, to be held on the subcontinent in 2011, might be abridged.

“One of the shortfalls of the last World Cup in South Africa was that rain played such an important factor,” Dehring told The Courier-Mail on Thursday.

“We decided this time to make sure you had adequate rain days so there is a rain day for every game.

“But, of course, that is going to elongate the tournament. It is a difficult balancing act but you would always prefer a shorter event. It is difficult to maintain momentum in an event over such a long period. We would have preferred a shorter event had it been possible, but to do that there would not have been rain days. I think they may change it next time.”

Matthew Hayden said this week the tournament was dragging on too much for everyone involved. Keeping fans interested for nearly two months has proved a challenge and crowds at some venues have been very disappointing. However, Dehring said attendances were not as disastrous as they appeared.

“The lower-end ticket prices were certainly cheaper than what they were for a standard One-day International in the West Indies,” he said. “In some countries ticket prices had an impact on attendances but in some countries it clearly didn't.

“In Jamaica it didn't because the matches involving the West Indies there were very well attended. The fact that it was live on television in small countries where it has never happened before has made a real difference.”

Organisers have also been criticised for a perceived crackdown on musical instruments, which some spectators said removed the unique Caribbean feel from the stadiums.

Dehring said there was no reason fans could not take instruments like conch shells, provided they were pre-registered with officials.

“The conch shell thing was precautionary because we wanted to know who was bringing things,” he said. “We wanted to make sure they were reputable people.”—Agencies